This short report presents findings from Wave 8 of the Generation Vape research project, which includes monitoring vaping and tobacco product use among Australian young people aged 14–17. Conducted in April 2025, Wave 8 follows the implementation of Australia’s landmark July 2024 vaping reforms, which restrict all vape sales, regardless of nicotine content, to pharmacies and bans vaping product advertising. These reforms aim to curb youth access and use and to reduce the social acceptability of vaping.

Wave 8 data reveal promising trends. The proportion of young people who have never vaped remains high at 85.4%, and smoking rates are at their lowest across all survey waves, with 94.0% reporting never having smoked. Curiosity about vaping continues to decline, with less than a third of young people who have never vaped expressing interest in vaping. Social norms are also shifting, with fewer young people reporting that their friends vape. Qualitative interviews reinforce this shift, with participants expressing embarrassment, shame, and a desire to dissociate from the label “vaper.” 

Access to vaping products has also declined. Just over a quarter in Wave 8, 26.5%, of young people who have ever vaped reported purchasing their own device, down from 34.4% in Wave 6. Exposure to vape advertising on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat has significantly decreased. However, tobacconists and vape shops remain key sources of vape sales, highlighting the need for targeted enforcement. Nicotine pouch use remains low (1.9%), and menthol cigarette use is common among young people who smoke, underscoring the importance of the 1 July 2025 menthol ban...